Details for Khaghoghorhnerk/ Blessing of Grapes

Activity/Tour

Meeting at Zvartnots airport, transfer, accommodationat the hotel. Continue tour to the famous Ararat Cognacfactory: tour in the factory with tasting of 3 kinds ofbrandies. Tour to Erebouni Museum and Fortress.Erebouni Museum of the History of the Foundationof Yerevan was established in 1968. The opening ofthe Museum was timed to coincide with the 2750thanniversary of Yerevan. The Museum stands at thefoot of the Arin Berd hill, on top of which theUrartian Fortress Erebouni has been constructed.The City-Fortress was excavated, some parts of thestructure were reinforced and restored and thefortress was turned into an outdoor Museum.Overnight at the hotel in Yerevan.

Typical Day

Breakfast at the hotel. sightseeing tour to Garnithe Pagan temple. It was built in the first centuryA.D. by the Armenian King Tiridates with themoney he received after visiting Emperor Neroin Rome. Continue tour to Gueghard CaveMonastery. Gueghard is another incredibleancient Armenian monastery, partly carved outof a mountain. Though the monastery has beenaround since before the 4th century, the maincathedral was built in 1215.Walk in Vernissage(this market is open on Saturday and Sunday) themarket where you can buy souvenirs and jewelerssilver handicrafts made by Armenian masters.Farewell dinner at national restaurant with nationalfolk music. Overnight at the hotel in Yerev

Age range, type of group

Breakfast at the hotel. Departure to Echmiadzin.Ejmiatsin is the spiritual center of Armenia and the seatof the Catholics of All Armenians, the head of the HolyArmenian Apostolic church. Continue tour to Hripsimechurch. St. Hripsime Church in Echmiadzin, Armenia,completed in 618, is one of the oldest survivingchurches in Armenia, and is known for its fineArmenian architecture of the classical period, whichinfluenced many other Armenian churches. Thechurch, together with other nearby sites, is aUNESCOWorld Heritage Site, and is dedicated toSaint Rhipsime. Trip to St. Gayane church built in630. Overnight at the hotel in Yerevan.

Sleeping and meals

Breakfast at the hotel. Sightseeing tour to Khor Virapmonastery. The Khor Virap (meaning )monastery is one of the most popular touristdestinations in Armenia. Its location, near theclosest point to Mount Ararat within Armenianborders, offers a spectacular view of the mountain,the national symbol of Armenia. Continue tour toNoravank monastery. Noravank is a 13th centuryArmenian Apostolic Church monastery, located 122km from Yerevan in a narrow gorge made by theDarichay river. The gorge is known for its tall, sheer,brick-red cliffs, directly across from the monastery.The monastery is best known for its two-storeyS. Astvatsatsin church. Trip to Vedi wine factory fortasting wonderful wine. Overnight at the hotel in Goris.

Policies & Restrictions

Breakfast at the hotel. Excursion tour to Khndzoreskwhich is a cave village and there are many signs of pastsettlement throughout the valley which are just waitingfor discovery. There are a very large number of caves,although most of them are rather small. You will see thatmany of the caves have been carved out by man andserved as houses for people. You will find the ruinsof a village, a beautiful ancient church,very old tombstones.Continue tour to Karahunge (Stonehenge), ancientobservatory 5mil B.C. Carahunge or Karahundj,Zorakarer is 3, 500 years older than England'sStonehenge and 3, 000 years older than the Egyptianpyramids. The total area of the observatory is 7 hectares.According to the scientist's findings, a temple consistingof 40 stones built in honor of the Armenians' main God,Ari, meaning the Sun, is situated in the central part ofCarahunge. Besides the temple, it had a large anddeveloped observatory, and also a university that makesup the temple's wings.Drive to Lake Sevan through Selim Pass visiting thecaravanserai (XIV c.). For many centuries the GreatSilk Road connected a complex network of traderoutes from Europe with Asia. It was a way toestablish contact with the great civilizations ofChina, India, the Near East and Europe. Tradecaravans, diplomatic missions, merchantsrepresentatives of religious circles, dervishes,warriors – millions people have passed on thisroad through time with nothing frightening thesebrave travelers, neither the difficult roads, nor thewaterless deserts.The East -West trade routes passed across the Armenianplateau (Selim pass) and favored the development of thecountry's economy, trade, commerce and culture.About 70 miles north of Yerevan sits lake Sevan thelargest alpine in the world. This huge mountain lakewhich takes up to 5% of Armenia's surface area and isabout 2,000 meters above sea level is one of the highestamong the freshwater lakes in the world. Some threedozen of streamers pour into it and only one river originsfrom the lake – Hrazdan.With its history and scenary lakeSevan is among the most inviting destinations in the world.Overnight at the hotel in Sevan.

Rates

Breakfast at the hotel. Trip to the Church of S.Astvatsatsin(Mother of God) and the smaller Church of S.Arakelots(Holy Apostles, later S.Karapet) are both located on apeninsula which was once an island in Lake Sevan .According to an inscription on the south wall of theChurch of S.Arakelots, the monastery was founded in874 AD and it is attributed to Princess Mariam, thewife of Prince Vasak of Kapur and the daughter ofthe Bagratuni King Asot. For several centuriesthereafter it remained an important spiritual centerand was a pilgrimage site for thousands of visitorsfrom all parts of Armenia. Today, the monasteryconsists of only the two churches and a ruined gavitwhich are all situated on the southwest side if a hilloverlooking Lake Sevan.The Church of S.Arakelotshas a trefoil inscribed within a cross type plansurmounted by a conical dome. The entrance portal isframed by and arch located on the southwest side.A short distance to the southeast is the Church ofS.Astvatsatsin which was built in a similar fashionimmediately after the completion of S.Arakelots. However,S.Astvatsatsin has some additional chapel and chamberspaces and has a somewhat wider plan.The ruined gavit,located to the west of S.Astvatsatsin has been dated tothe 9th or 10th century and was comprised of a squarespace over which an erdik (corbelled lantern or dome)was supported by a pair of wooden piers. Continue tourto Parz lake in Dilijan. Overnight at the hotel in Dilijan.

Other Information

Breakfast at the hotel. Trip to Haghpat and Sanahin Monasteries.These two Byzantine monasteries in theTumanian region from the period of prosperity duringthe Kiurikian dynasty (10th to 13th century) wereimportant centres of learning. Sanahin was renownedfor its school of illuminators and calligraphers.The two monastic complexes represent the highestflowering of Armenian religious architecture, whoseunique style developed from a blending of elementsof Byzantine ecclesiastical architecture and thetraditional vernacular architecture of the Caucasianregion. Overnight at the hotel in Yerevan.

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